Elliott Ramos
Chicago Temporarily Halts Some Debt Collections and Ticketing Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the move to waive late penalties on city debts and stop the booting of vehicles was aimed at helping low-income residents.
by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica Illinois, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,
Tens of Thousands of People Lost Driver’s Licenses Over Unpaid Parking Tickets. Now, They’re Getting Them Back.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation Friday to end license suspensions for unpaid parking tickets, affecting nearly 55,000 Illinois motorists. Lawmakers cited ProPublica Illinois and WBEZ Chicago reporting for leading to the new law.
by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,
A Half-Million Chicago Drivers Have Unpaid Sticker Tickets, but Only 11,400 Applied for the City’s Relief Program
Advocates for ticket reform say they’re disappointed the city didn’t do more to encourage Chicago motorists to sign up for its debt relief program. The city says more reforms are coming.
by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica Illinois, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,
Hundreds of Thousands of Chicago Motorists Could Receive Debt Relief From Vehicle Sticker Tickets as the City Expands Reform
Attention, Chicago motorists: You have until Oct. 31 to buy a city sticker and then qualify for a new debt forgiveness program.
by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica Illinois, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,
Chicago City Council Approves Ticket and Debt Collection Reforms to Help Low-Income and Minority Motorists
The measures, which were prompted by a ProPublica Illinois and WBEZ Chicago investigation, are scheduled to take effect by mid-November.
by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica Illinois, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,
Chicago Mayor Proposes Reforms That Would Make Life Easier for Thousands of Black and Low-Income Drivers
After more than a year of reporting from ProPublica Illinois and WBEZ, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced ticketing changes and said she would support legislation to change state law — beginning to make good on a campaign promise.
by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica Illinois, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,
Task Force on Tickets and Debt Suggests Reforms but Needs Chicago’s Mayor and City Council to Finish the Work
A report from the Chicago Fines, Fees & Access Collaborative responded to many of the problems ProPublica Illinois and WBEZ Chicago revealed.
by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica Illinois, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,
Everybody in Chicago’s Mayor’s Race Says They Want Ticket Reform
Proposals from the 14 candidates range from studying ticketing enforcement disparities to overhauling payment plans.
by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,
Chicago Task Force Will Take on Ticket and Debt Collection Reform
The group is part of an effort to make vehicle ticketing less unfair.
by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,
Chicago Throws Out 23,000 Duplicate Tickets Issued Since 1992 to Motorists Who Didn’t Have Vehicle Stickers
The move is the city’s latest effort to reform its troubled ticketing and debt collection practices.
by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,